Seven Words to Remove from Your Vocabulary When Interviewing
Whether doing a radio broadcast interview or presenting one live on television, there are certain words you want to avoid saying. While you could naturally go into all the profane words you typically wouldn’t say on a live broadcast, there are other words that simply slow down the interview, make you come across as unintelligent or make it difficult for the listener and/or viewer to follow the interview.
These are seven words you need to remove from your vocabulary when interviewing.
Irregardless
This “word” is not actually a word, but seems to be used regularly instead of the correct “regardless.” Make sure you use the correct word.
Things/Stuff
You’re not five years old anyore. You should never say “things” or “stuff” in any sort of broadcast. These are overly casual and generic words used as a placeholder. Should you refer to a product as “things,” it shows you either don’t know the proper name or you lack respect for a product someone created. These two words are generally interchangeable and both should never be used while conducting an interview or while on the air in general.
Maybe
This is another word that makes you sound unprepared. It is possible to occasionally intertwine this word into a question, although even then, the word “maybe” sounds as if you are leading the interviewee towards an answer you want.
Always/Never
Something doesn’t “always” happen and something “never” happens either. These are two words you shouldn’t use. In fact, you should “never” use them. This basically locks you into a corner with no way out. It also portrays you as close-minded. Nothing is 100 percent or zero percent, so you should avoid using these words when conducting interviews.
Literally
This is another word that is overly used today and many people do not use it correctly. You might mean figuratively instead of literally, but either way, this is a word you shouldn’t use during the course of interviewing.
Honestly
If you add in the word honestly to a sentence or during an interview, it makes it appear as if all of the other words you have said are not honest. People add in the word “honestly” to add emphasis to a subject, but it implies everything else is not honest.
That
Stop using “that” all together, whether in interviews or during written reports. The word typically is not necessary and should be deleted from your interviewing vocabulary.